Daisy Chains
by Seerysly
Summary: She placed the small flower into her cup of water and closed her eyes. It was only a small flower. It wasn't even given to her as a gift, just shoved thoughtlessly into her open hand. But if that was the case, why was her heart pounding so?
1. The First

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Luna/Fred**

_Daisy Chains_

Luna Lovegood sat alone at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall. She spun the shiny silver spoon in her delicate fingers, watching her reflection. She was convinced that she could see her own Wrackspurts without her Spectra glasses. But then again, it could just be the light. She set the piece of silverware down on the dark wood of the table and rested her blonde head on her hand.

She sighed loudly and closed her eyes. She began imagining a certain red headed twin talking to her. The last time they'd actually said anything to each other was in the Department of Mysteries the previous year, and it hadn't even been conversation. More like a yell to run, or to watch out. Images passed across her closed eyelids.

Luna admitted to herself that she wasn't one to have a crush. She never really wanted to date anyone, not even Fred Weasley, who had been her secret obsession for almost a month now. She just liked to daydream. She did, however, acknowledged the fact that she had a crush on Fred. She'd never thought it would happen, but it had.

She was just in the middle of a particularly good daydream, one that included sitting out on the grounds with said red head and making daisy chains. She was just placing hers on Fred's head, when a classmate pulled her from her dream. "Um, Loony, I mean Luna? What was the Charms paper on?" a fellow Ravenclaw girl asked. Luna opened her wide eyes.

"I don't remember," she replied. The other girl sighed unhappily and walked off. Luna watched her go, and then picked up the spoon again. She stared at her reflection as the wide double doors burst open. A familiar laugh floated smoothly to her ears and she looked up. Fred was walking over to the Gryffindor table, a girl on both arms. One of the girls was holding a small white flower, which she placed in Fred's hand. He smiled at her and pushed the small flower into Luna's free hand as he marched past. She held it up to her eye level. It was a daisy. It was quite sad, too, with its delicate petals wilting. She placed it to her nose and smelled it; it had a wonderful scent.

She placed the small flower into her cup of water and closed her eyes. It was only a small flower. It wasn't even given to her as a gift, just shoved thoughtlessly into her open hand. But if that was the case, why was her heart pounding so?

It was a sunny, clear day. A few white, cotton-like clouds dotted the sky. The daydreamer with long blonde hair sat under a large, shady tree and watched as one of two red headed twins came running towards her, his arms outstretched and eyes toward the sky. A light blue ball landed in his hands. He skidded to a stop, his long, red hair windblown and covering his eyes. He smiled at the blonde and threw the ball back to Dean Thomas.

Ignoring loud protests from his best friend, Fred sat down next to Luna. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the object in her hand. Luna looked down at a small chain of flowers she held in her gentle grasp. She hadn't remembered making one, but then again, she hardly remembered most things.

"A daisy chain," she replied simply. Fred took the chain of small, white flowers out of her hand and examined them closely. Luna smiled softly and looked down at her porcelain hands. She didn't feel like herself; she felt awake. She felt something brush across her hair and noticed that Fred was putting the daisy chain around her neck. She looked up and her wide blue eyes met his deep green ones. His face was close; she could feel his soft breath on her cheeks. Their noses touched and she closed her eyes.

There was a tap on her shoulder. "Luna," a girl's voice floated to her ears. She ignored it.

"Luna."

This time the girl shook her shoulder. She tried to ignore it again, but this time, the voice was much louder and the shaking much stronger. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. Luna found herself staring at a black robe and a stack of books. She blinked and sat up. Her dormitory had never looked so bland to her. It must be the Nargles turning everything grey.

The girl who had woken her up put a hand her hip. "You're going to be late," she informed Luna. The girl turned and walked away.

Luna glided over to the window and stared out over the grounds. The sun was just rising over the horizon and she knew it was going to be a sunny, clear day.

She looked back towards her nightstand, where a small daisy sat in a glass of water. She picked it up and set it on the windowsill. Maybe she could go outside to collect more flowers after class.

**Will most likely continue this. Thanks for reading and please look forward to more.**


	2. Nighttime Exploits

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Luna/Fred**

_Daisy Chains_

Fred Weasley launched himself onto the couch in the Gryffindor common room, kicking his feet up onto the crimson upholstery, leaving no room for anyone else. His twin brother, George, sat on the other side of the room, talking to multiple girls at a time. Fred closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the armrest, but his head met a leg. He opened his eyes and his green eyes met a pair of chocolate ones.

Angelina Johnson, with her high cheekbones, brown skin and hair, was Fred's self-proclaimed girlfriend. She had told _everyone _that they were dating after the Yule Ball the previous year. Fred, however, had no recollection of agreeing to this arrangement. But Angelina was pretty and she even supported the twins' pranks.

Fred smiled up at her, giving her a wink which she returned. Slowly, she leaned down and their lips met. The kiss didn't last for a second; it went on and on until even Fred, who always claimed to be a professional kisser, was panting slightly. He pulled away and reached up to ruffle Angelina's hair. She scowled and gently smacked his hand away. Just then, George leapt over the back of the couch, pinching his brother's cheek, teasingly affectionate. "C'mon Freddy! Time to go!" he exclaimed in a teasing tone, letting go of Fred's face.

"Shut up, George," he said. But he was smiling. Slowly, he stood up and stretched, his long arms almost touching the dark wood of the ceiling. Fred and George were tall, both almost six-foot-five. The twins crossed the crowded common room, dodging chairs, tables, and other Gryffindors as they made their way to the portrait hole, receiving many smiles and _hello_'s along the way. As they sauntered across the room, they met their friend, Lee Jordan, who gave them both a high five. Lee and George exited the common room, but Fred paused a moment. He blew a kiss around the room, making many of the girls blush, including Hermione Granger (who rarely reacted with an emotion other than anger). He did an internal victory dance and climbed through the portrait hole with a flourish.

The three seventh years looked around quickly before scurrying off towards the disused boy's bathroom. Everyone at Hogwarts knew about the Weasley's shop they had set up; they needed the money for the store they were eventually going to open in Diagon Alley. Harry Potter had already helped with that by giving them his prize money from the Triwizard Tournament the previous year, but the twins had decided to raise some extra Galleons (better safe than sorry).

Fred, George, and Lee hurried along corridors, peering around corners, and dodging in and out of shadows to get to the sixth floor. Finally, they reached the door to the bathroom. The wood was old and splintering and it was locked up. "Alohomora," George muttered. Lee and George pushed open the door, avoiding any stray pieces of wood that could get lodged under their skin, and disappeared through the doorway. But, once again, Fred hesitated before entering. Rhythmic footfalls were moving along the hall. He squinted down the dark corridor, trying to make out what was coming towards him. There was a small, bluish light, just a dot, about fifty yards away. The door opened behind him again, and his brother patted him on the shoulder.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Shh!" Fred replied. George raised an eyebrow and swept his ginger hair out of his face. "Look!" Fred whispered, pointing at the light. It was closer now and Fred could make out a shadowed figure. It was obviously a girl because she was skipping, her long, wavy hair bouncing behind her. George tried to push his twin through the door.

"It's probably a prefect, let's go!" he muttered urgently, still trying to get his brother through the door. But Fred resisted.

"It's not!"

"And how would you know?"

"Because prefects don't _skip_," Fred hissed through his teeth. The two watched in silence as the girl drew nearer, both holding their breath. She came closer and closer and the twins let out a sigh of relief. "Luna Lovegood, shoulda known," Fred murmured. The blonde paused in front of them, and turned her head to look at them. Her blue eyes seemed to stare right through them.

"She's sleepwalking! Well, sort of," George whispered. The twins backed up towards the door; the way Luna was staring at them was creepy. Her chin was tilted to the side in a questioning look and her long blonde hair was slightly askew.

"Oh hello, Fred. Want to come pick flowers with me?" she asked in a dreamy voice that echoed off the stone walls.

"Er. . . No, no not really," he replied, softer than she had.

"Are you sure? The daisies are quite abundant this year." She was beginning to turn away again. George was slowly opening the door behind them and was itching to go inside.

"No thanks . . . er. . . Luna. The shop's open tonight. I, uh, gotta help George and Lee," Fred said.

"Oh, that's too bad," she said simply as she began to saunter off. Her head was still tilted and instead of skipping, she continued her way down the hall with a dreamy sort of walk.

Fred and George looked at each other, and George sniggered. The two of them then opened the door and disappeared inside.

The blonde was sitting against the wall outside the sixth floor boy's bathroom, twiddling her thumbs and humming thoughtlessly. Sitting beside her a was a blue cup emblazoned with a raven. Inside the cup was three daisies, their petals a pure, untouched white. There was a loud _pop!_ and Luna Lovegood jumped. Her breathing quickened as she looked around, wondering how she had ended up in the sixth floor corridor outside the disused bathroom with a cup of daisies. Slowly, she stood up, brushing her nightgown off with delicate fingertips.

Lips parted slightly and blue eyes wide, Luna pushed the door to the bathroom open and peered inside. Purple smoke swirled around the room, rising up towards the high, stone ceiling. Three dark figures moved around in the smoke, all coughing loudly. "I t-told you n-n-not t-to use t-that m-much Re'em b-b-blood!" spluttered an all-too-familiar voice. Luna saw a flash of red hair and gasped silently, pulling back out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She leaned back against the wall and closed her cerulean orbs, taking long, staggered breaths.

She opened her eyes again, still breathing deeply, and backed down the hall. _It must have been that smoke_, she thought, almost helplessly as she turned and hurried back to the Ravenclaw Tower. _That's why I'm out of breath. Or maybe it's the Nargles. . ._

No one spoke about Luna's midnight exploits the next morning, though all the girls in her dormitory knew that she'd been out. When she had finally opened those double doors and wandered in to the familiar four-poster beds with the blue curtains, the homey, musty smell that thickened the air, and the dark, cozy wood floors with complimentary white plaster walls, Luna was met with seven other girls of eyes eyeing her curiously. But it almost surprised Luna when no one mentioned anything about her outing the next morning, but then, none of the other girls really spoke to her other than to tell (or ask) her something about class.

Dreamily, the blonde slid out of bed. For once, she was the first one awake. She glided lazily to her trunk, which lay closed at the foot of her bed. She flicked open the locks and rummaged around until she found her clean, white shirt. As she pulled on the shirt and continued to pull on the rest of her uniform, the other girls slowly came awake, one by one. It was then, when all of Luna's dorm-mates were roused from their beds, did the routine hustle and bustle of the day begin.

Luna gently pulled her wheat-blonde hair back over her shoulders, tying it carefully with a royal blue ribbon as she stared out the window and towards the lake. She reached down to her nightstand and felt around for her hairbrush, not taking her eyes away from the glass. Her pale skin met the wooden handle of the brush and she brought it up to her head run it through the end of her ponytail. She set it back down and glanced at her nightstand. She had a strange feeling that something was missing.

Her eyes skimmed over the dark tabletop several times before her Wrackspurts cleared her brain. Her cup. The one her mother had given her when she was little. The blue one with the raven.

Luna rarely panicked. And even if she did "panic", it was nothing more than a raced heartbeat. But when she saw the the cup was gone, her stomach felt like it had dropped to her feet. No longer worrying about brushing her hair, the blonde flitted to her trunk and rummaged around. She zipped smoothly around the dormitory (all the others had left by now), checking drawers and feeling around under beds. At last, she gave up and settled on her bed. The clear, crystal goblet she had stolen from the Great Hall the previous day was still sitting on the windowsill and it still contained the tiny, white daisy.

She stood up gracefully and sighed dreamily, shaking her head. _One of these days, I'm going to catch those Nargles._

**A/N: Sorry to everyone for the long wait! Unexpected hiatus from this particular story. So not as good as the first one, in my opinion, but I think it's actually going somewhere now. I tried to make Luna the same, dreamy girl that I made her in the first chapter, but I don't think I did it that well =/. Oh well. Anyway, more chapters to come! And did I just make a Harry Potter video game reference? I think I did! HAHAHAHAHA (and for those that don't know, Fred and George have a shop in the game 8B)**


	3. The Second and Third

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Luna/Fred**

_Daisy Chains_

Summer was winding down quickly, spiraling into the short season of fall. For only a few months, Hogwarts's grounds would shift from the forest greens of summer to the rich reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn. As it was already halfway through September, the grass had already become crunchy underfoot, a sure sign that everything was getting ready for winter hibernation. Even the castle, usually so lively, was quieting down. Corridors that were usually so full of chatter were now almost silent as students hurried to class, the structure of their days already in its full-blown shape.

Barely anything could disrupt the peace of the castle. The teachers were euphoric during the fall. The excitement of the start of term had finally worn off, and the students were subdued with the realization that the Thanksgiving holidays weren't for another six weeks. While some students busied themselves with their studies, wasting their precious time off in the library, scribbling essays on page after page of parchment, or with their nose stuck in their books, a certain blonde busied herself with the latest edition of the _Quibbler. _ Sitting alone in a royal blue armchair in the corner of the Ravenclaw common room, Luna Lovegood hummed dreamily, tracing her pale fingers along a page in the magazine. Scrunching her eyes and leaning closer to the page, Luna's fingers glided expertly over the paper. She traced the same page over and over, her gaze never veering from a certain point at the upper right-hand corner.

Many of the other Ravenclaws stayed away from her. Since before she had even come to Hogwarts, she had received the nickname _Loony_ _Lovegood_. Not that it mattered to her. Her classmates could say what they wanted about her, she didn't care. She knew the truth; Nargles _are_ real. Luna bent over the magazine, concentrating hard. She was oblivious to the people around her. She paid them no mind, and they kept to their studies.

The page that Luna was entranced on had a hidden message upon it (supposedly the truth about the Department of Mysteries. Xenophilius Lovegood loved to begin conspiracies.). She didn't, wouldn't, look up at all, even when her name was called.

"Luna."

The blonde kept her eyes to locked to the magazine, as if unable to hear.

"Luna."

The voice was becoming more persistent, but Luna still kept her eyes glued to the page.

"Luna!"

This time, the voice calling her name was almost a shout. Luna's head shot upward, as if startled by the sudden exclamation of her name. Blinking rapidly, she found herself staring into dark brown, almost black, eyes, a dark-skinned face, and long, shining black hair. Padme Patil. She was looking at Luna, concern coating her usually gentle gaze. "Are you alright?" Padme asked, her voice quivering a little. Everyone in the common room was staring at them. Padme wasn't known to be outgoing; in fact, she was quite shy. With all eyes turned to her and Luna, the girl was quite nervous.

"Yes. Why shouldn't I be?" Luna said. Her voice was high and dreamy; a wind chime in a lazy summer breeze. Padme cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Want to go and get some lunch?" she asked, sitting down on in the chair next to Luna's. Luna turned around to look at the ancient grandfather clock sitting near the door to the grand staircase. It read 12:15 PM. Nodding, Luna stood up and stretched gracefully. Padme stood as well, and the two looked around the common room. Several long, dark-wooded tables lined the blue-draped walls of the large, square room. In the center of the room was a circular ring where a fire crackled cheerily. Blue-overstuffed chairs and couched surrounded the fire and several other chairs were placed in corners. There were many bookshelves, all of which contained books on basic spells and potions. There was a blue velvet notice-board near the grandfather clock, which sat on a thick rug that covered the dark wood floors. The rug had a busy pattern, but was mainly the same royal blue as the rest of the common room.

Slowly, the two Ravenclaw girls walked to the door, one taking long strides, the other gliding dreamily over the carpet. They exited the common room, shutting the door behind them (to which the door knocker grumbled angrily about not slamming the door, as it is very old and fragile), and began the long decent down the spiral staircase of the Ravenclaw tower. The pair didn't talk much, only when Luna broke the silence with occasional comments about the weather or the unusual shapes of the clouds.

It was a sunny day, rare for the current time of the year. But as Luna stared out the window as she passed it, she couldn't help but notice that no one was out enjoying the weather. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" she said, pausing at the window.

"It is," Padme replied, continuing her moderately fast pace. Luna quickly caught up with her friend and they continued their way down to the Great Hall.

"We don't get this weather a lot during this time of year. Do you think it'd be alright if I went out for a while?"

"It depends on how far behind you are on your homework," Padme said. The two rounded the corner into the Entrance Hall, pushed open the huge, shining double doors of the Great Hall, and made their way to the Ravenclaw table where sandwiches, chicken pies, and a variety of other lunch foods were sitting, hot and ready for the usual lunch rush. Luna and Padme sat down at the table, grabbed plates for themselves and dug in. The two sat at the long tables in silence, keeping to themselves. Padme had managed to get her hands on a copy of_ The Daily Prophet_ and her eyes skimmed quickly over it.

"Can you believe this?" she muttered, mouth full of her sandwich. "Skeeter still can't get off the topic of Harry Potter! Now she's doing a report on Sirius too! It's full of lies, mind you, but the nerve of her!"

Luna was about to reply when the double doors opened and cheering erupted in the hall. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape (the only teachers in the hall at the time) all looked up in surprise as the Weasley twins rushed in, brandishing a wizard card. "We've found it!" they shouted, their voices echoing through the Great Hall. "We've found the rarest wizard card!"

Padme rolled her eyes, but Cho Chang (who had been sitting near Luna), leaned over and muttered, "Do you think it's real?"

The brunette leaned across Luna. "Not at all. They'll probably sell it to a first year for a huge price, and it'll disappear in a few days. Or turn back to a Dumbledore card."

Cho nodded and leaned back over to finish her lunch. Luna didn't quite agree with either of them, but she stayed quiet and continued eating. The twins, who had now been hushed by the teachers, were now strutting down the length of the Great Hall towards their friend Lee Jordan. As the passed, the blonde purposely looked away. It had never occurred to her that she may have said something embarrassing that night she had went sleepwalking. All she knew was that she had awoken in front of the disused boys' bathroom, the place where Fred and George ran their shop. Being asleep, she couldn't have known what she had said. But even still, she felt obliged to keep her head down and her eyes averted. _It's the Nargles. Those dumb Nargles_, she kept telling herself. Every strange feeling that she had a weird feeling, (which seemed to happen a lot these days), Luna would blame on the Nargles. But it seemed that she was blaming them nonstop since the start of term.

As the twins passed, she felt fingers brush her hand, which was clenched around her fork on the table. She stifled a gasp, and slowly opened her eyes again. Sitting on the table in front of her were two daisies and a note. Looking over to make sure Padme wasn't paying attention, and that Cho was busy talking, she carefully unfolded the parchment, her fingers trembling. Peering to Padme and Cho again, she began to read it.

_A little birdie told me you liked daisies, so I brought you some._

_From,_

_I'll let you guess_

_P.S. I also got word that you couldn't find your favorite glass a few days ago. I think I_ _found it. Stop by the shop later to get it. I'll keep it safe for you._

She read it once, twice, even a third time. Her fingers were trembling and her thoughts were whirring in and out of her brain. Was he actually interested in her? Was he really flirting, or just being nice? Whatever the reason was, she couldn't believe it. Her brain seemed to be fogging up and she shook her head slightly.

"Luna? Are you okay?" Padme asked from beside her. Luna blinked and looked at her friend.

"Yes, the Wrackspurts, you know," she mumbled. But even Luna Lovegood, who had grown up believing in mystical creatures, was beginning to become skeptical of her excuse.

"_That_ was who that note was for? Are you crazy? Loony Lovegood. Fred, you've _got_ to be kidding me!" George Weasley cried as the twins ascended the Grand Staircase. The castle seemed to be deserted; not a single person inside because of the beautiful weather. Fred didn't reply as the two scampered up the stone steps, dodging the changes in directions and avoiding the trick steps. Finally, they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and George grabbed his brother's arm, pulling him down the seventh floor corridor and away from anyone that could hear them.

"Seriously Fred, what are you doing?" he muttered harshly. Fred shook his head, disheveling his long red hair.

"She left her glass in front of the shop last week. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Uh, gee, I don't know. Let me think. . . Oh! I know! You could have just handed the glass to her like a normal person would do!" George exclaimed. He looked angry, his eyebrows nit together, his hand tight around his brother's arm, and his other hand clenched in a fist.

"I was trying to be a gentleman George! Like we always try to be!" Fred hissed in reply. George rolled his green eyes, letting go of his brother. "It's not like she's bad-looking either," Fred muttered.

"I just don't know anymore, Fred. Whatever you do, don't lead Loony Lovegood on if you're not going to go with it. It would mean bad news," George sighed. Fred nodded, looking away. Luna Lovegood was one of Harry Potter's best friends, as were he and George. Harry wouldn't be happy should Fred hurt Luna.

But she was Loony Lovegood. There was no way that Fred would date that dreamy blonde, even if she was adorable.

_10:30 PM. Is it late enough? Are they even going to be there tonight? What happens if it's just a trick? Maybe they don't have my glass. Maybe it was just a joke to embarrass me._ All these thoughts spun through Luna's head as she lay in bed in her dormitory. She knew that it was now or never, however, and she pulled back the periwinkle blue curtains of her four-poster bed and slipped out from under the covers. Her feet touched the cold wood floors and she slipped her feet into her hippogriff slippers.

Pulling a bright yellow robe over her nightgown, she quietly stole out of the dormitory and down the spiral staircase. She peered around the near-empty common room to see if anyone would try to stop her before hurrying towards the door. No one paid her any mind, however. She was still only Loony Lovegood. She stepped out of the common room and looked both ways down the corridor. Seeing no one, she darted into the shadows and began to make her way up to the sixth floor.

She peered around corners, hid behind suits of armor, and tiptoed down corridors and hallways until she was standing right outside the sixth floor boys' bathroom. Luna glanced around quickly before pushing the old door open. She pulled her hand away quickly, however, because a sliver of wood had lodged itself into her finger, which now had a heartbeat. She placed the delicate, pale finger in her mouth to halt the pounding and used her wand to push the door open. She stepped into the light of the bathroom, and looked around with a smile as she removed her finger from her mouth. Wooden crates were stacked in every corner and sitting atop them were every kind of Weasley trick. Skiving Snackboxes were piled by the dozens almost everywhere. Stink pellets, dungbombs, and even fireworks were placed around the room. Ton-tongue toffees had been poured into the sinks in the center of the room and as Luna stared around, she spotted the two redheaded twins standing on the opposite side of the room, one was leaning against the wall while the other stood, arms crossed, next to his twin. The blonde shuffled up to the one leaning against the wall.

"Luna," he said with a smile and a nod. "Your glass, I'm assuming?"

"Hello Fred," she replied. The redhead looked a little taken aback that she could tell which twin he was. Quickly, he strode across the room and dug around inside one of the crates. He emerged a moment later with the blue cup in his hand. He handed it to her and she reached out for it. She gave a small gasped as her fingers touched the cup and she nearly dropped it. She caught it in her other hand and stared at her finger with the splinter, examining it with a slight scowl.

"What's wrong?" Fred asked. Behind him, George coughed, as if to make his presence known. Luna smiled softly.

"Nothing, really. It must have been the Blinking Plimpies. They made everything bright so I couldn't see what I was doing and I managed to get a sliver in my finger," she said simply. Fred looked a little uncomfortable and glanced at George who shrugged. The twin standing in front of Luna turned back to her and pulled out his wand.

"Happens all the time," he laughed nervously, pointing his wand at her finger. A split second later, the piece of wood flew out of her finger and hovered in the air before being thrown across the room. Luna watched it during its entire flight, her face falling into an expression that could only be described as content. The three stood awkwardly for several long seconds before Luna finally sighed.

"Well, I suppose I should head back to the common room," she sighed, turning. She was inches from the door before she was stopped.

"Wait!"

Luna turned and saw George standing by his brother. She tilted her head in reply.

"How did you know it was Fred?" he asked. Luna smiled. The twins were always confused with one another, and when Luna had managed to tell them apart, it had come as a shock.

"Oh, it was simple, really. Whenever I wear my Spectrospecs, I can see the Fred has less Wrackspurts. Maybe that's why he smiles more," she replied. And with that, she turned and left the bathroom with a skip.

George looked at his brother and shook his head. "I don't understand her," he muttered.

"No one does, my friend," Fred replied.

"At least she didn't talk about Nargles again."

"Too true, too true."

**A/N: Oh my Rowling! This one was fuuuuuunnnnn to write. I've been experimenting with giving detail and I think it worked out beautifully! OmR! I'm so excited now! Anyway, I hoped everyone who read this liked it. I am in no means the best author on this site, nor do I see myself as even mediocre. Much, much less than mediocre. I have so much to learn, but I'm learning as I write more, and I do have enough sense to be proud of this chapter. It is coming together quite well, isn't it Ems? Thanks, thanks, thanks, to all my reviews. Even the shortest ones made me smile and that was all I needed to continue.**


	4. Winter

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Luna/Fred**

_Daisy Chains_

Frost crunched beneath the feet of thirty or so students as they marched down the pathway towards the half-giant, Hagrid's, hut. The steep, downhill pathway was covered with ice and mud, and many students held onto each other to prevent from falling. Fred Weasley had a girl's arm linked through his own, belonging to his so-called "girlfriend" Angelina Johnson. She gripped the crook of his arm tightly as he helped her step cautiously over a particularly slippery stone step. Dark-skinned, dark-eyed, and dark-haired, a very pretty young woman, Angelina had proclaimed herself Fred's girlfriend after the Yule Ball a year ago. Fred had never agreed to this announcement, but couldn't really complain. Angelina was supportive of his and George's jokes, and she didn't seem to mind when Fred flirted with other girls.

Angelina let go of his arm and continued to make her way down the steps towards Hagrid's hut. Fred paused, and looked back. He held out his hand to a brown-haired Gryffindor named Jessica - or was it Jennifer? Fred could never remember. She took it gratefully and the two of them followed Angelina down the slope. Snow swirled around them as they descended, shards of broken glass, sparkling in the silvery light of the winter sun. Fred stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath of the crisp winter air and felt himself being pulled forward. He opened his eyes to find himself looking into the brunette's hazel eyes. "Fred? What's wrong? C'mon, we're gonna be late," she said, a worried look spreading across her face.

"Not to worry," the redhead replied, matching his stride to hers as they walked, "just enjoying the beauty of winter."

The brunette didn't look all-too convinced. But she giggled a little and said, "Soon you're gonna start acting like that weird fourth year. What's her name? Loony?"

Fred let a smile flicker across his face. "Luna," he corrected, a twinkle in his eye. The brunette rolled her eyes and tugged at his sleeve, urging him forward. They jumped over a puddle in the path and the ground leveled out and opened into the field.

"Whatever."

Her hand tugged on the back of his robes as they crunched through the glittering snow towards the cabin, which was in view. Several warm fires crackled in front of the hut and giant lizards slithered in and out of the flames, hissing occasionally when a student stepped too close. A huge man with bushy, black hair and a bushy, black beard was standing next to the fire.

"Gather 'round, gather 'round!" he boomed cheerfully. "Today we'll be studyin' salamanders! Now I know you've all done this afore, but it's 'bout time we reviewed. Midterms comin' up an' everythin'!"

Fred separated from the brunette and went to stand with Angelina. Hagrid began his lecture on salamanders and Fred moved closer to the fire. The red lizards hissed at him, but he threw a small kick at one and it skittered away. Suddenly, a flash of wheat-blonde caught his eye. He looked up to see a short, skinny girl with long, wavy, shining blonde hair and large, blue eyes. She was listening intently to Hagrid's lesson. Her delicate hand raised slowly, gracefully.

"An' when left out fer too long, they- Ah, yes, Luna?" Hagrid said, noticing Luna Lovegood's hand.

"Professor, I was wondering when we are going to study Crumple-Horned Snorkaks?" she asked, her dreamy voice a wind chime in a light breeze. Fred blinked as the rest of the class broke out in sniggers and whispers. But the young blonde ignored them, and looked intently upon Hagrid. Hagrid stared back at her, confusion crossing his large features.

"Er. . . I've ne'er hear o' a Humple-Storned Croaker or whatever it is," Hagrid replied, "so, erm, I think we won't."

"They're real! I'm sure of it!" she muttered, her head sinking slightly. Beside him, Angelina glanced at Fred with a look of bewilderment. Fred shrugged at her with a smile.

Their Care of Magical Creatures lesson seemed to drag on for hours. Fred and Angelina paired up to work with their salamander, and to Fred's delight (and Angelina's annoyance), Luna was sharing their fire. She didn't have a partner, but seemed fine by herself. She had pulled her wheat hair back into a loose ponytail to keep it out of the fire, and worked quickly and diligently, never skipping a beat. At one point, she looked up to Fred.

"Hi Fred. Where's George?" she asked absently, picking a salamander up by its tail and placing it away from the fire as she stoked the flames. Fred cleared his throat, taken aback, once again, at the fact that she could tell he was Fred and not George.

"He doesn't have Care of Magical Creatures anymore," he answered shortly, ignoring the disbelieving looks from Angelina. She couldn't believe he knew the blonde.

"Oh, that's nice."

The three worked silently for the remainder of the hour, sloshing through the mud around their fires to keep their salamanders alive for the class period. After what seemed like an eternity, Hagrid called them all away from the fires. With a sigh of relief, Fred dropped the sticks he was holding and wiped his face. He was covered with soot and ash from the fire and even had scorch marks on his hand from where the lizard had spit sparks at him. Hagrid dismissed them as the bell rang up at the castle and Fred grabbed his bag. He paused momentarily as he waited for Angelina, who had held back to search for her missing quill; she couldn't leave without it because it was her favorite ("They don't just _disappear!_").

The redhead stared up at the castle. It was beautiful during the winter. Snow swirled through the air, obscuring the castle up on the hill. The stone of the walls were white with frost, and in the cool winter light, it sparkled brightly. His eyes moved from the castle to the path. The rest of the class were making their way up to the castle for lunch. A small smile crept onto his face as he scanned the grounds, but it was soon wiped away at the sight that he met. Several seventh year Slytherins were standing in front of Luna. He couldn't hear what they were saying over the wind that whisked the snowflakes around, but by the smirks on the Slytherins' faces, he could make a pretty good guess. As he watched, a large, black-haired boy with one eyebrow (over both eyes) grabbed Luna's _Mystical Creatures: Grade 7_ book out of her hand and threw it into a puddle of melted snow. Laughing cruelly, they flipped her other books out of her hands and stalked off. Glancing back at Angelina, who was still searching furiously through her bag, Fred dashed across the lawn to where Luna was standing, trying to gather her books up from the icy water.

When he reached her, he could see that she had a fragile smile on her pale lips. Confused, he approached her and picked up her _Mystical Creatures_ book. He shook it and droplets of water sprinkled from the book, landing on his shoes. He flipped the pages, examining them. He looked up to meet a pair of kind, blue orbs. Luna stood smiling at him calmly. Clearing his throat, Fred handed her the book. "It's ruined," he said sympathetically. Luna sighed, a tiny, slightly disappointed puff, but the smile never left her face.

"That's okay. Nargles catch up to everyone eventually. It was only matter of time before they braved my protection," she replied, taking the book delicately and motioning to her necklace. Fred looked back over at Hagrid's hut, but Angelina was nowhere to be seen. Luna turned slowly and began to glide up the slope. Fred stepped forward to match her stride.

"Looks as if my lunch date has left without me," he smiled. "Mind if I walk with you?"

Luna shrugged and continued up the hill. "No, I don't mind," she said. They walked in silence, avoiding puddles of mud and patches of ice until Fred finally broke the silence.

"So, why are you in seventh year Magical Creatures?" he asked. Luna smiled at him, jumping nimbly over a small pond of mud.

"Well, you see, my whole family loves magical creatures. See, my father and I know that there are more creatures out there that need to be discovered, but no one else does. They just think we are mad. So my dad, thinking it would make people stop talking about us, became an expert on regular animals. And I did too. So I was at a higher level when I started in the class and I changed to a higher class. That's why I take Care of Magical Creatures with the seventh years," she explained in her usual dreamlike tone. Fred nodded.

"So did it get everyone to stop talking?" he said.

"Oh no. Everyone still thinks I'm a little mad, but then again, I don't mind."

"Why's that?"

"Well, my mum always taught me that everyone is their own person, that I can't expect everyone to understand me and I can't expect to understand everyone. She always told me that everyone was different, but equal, and to like them for who they are. I don't think there's anyone at Hogwarts that I don't like," she smiled, looking at him. The redhead smiled back. It was surprising to him how deep Luna really was. He, like most other people, saw Loony Lovegood, but she, like so few, really saw people for who they were. Or at least she saw their Wrackspurts.

They approached a large pool of water and mud and then stopped. The blonde began to step carefully over it, hands outstretched for balance. Fred reached out and held onto her elbow to steady her. She looked at him with wide, blue eyes, but didn't say anything. Instead, she jumped quickly and Fred let go, following suit. They crunched up to the stone circle, where they halted again. Luna smiled at her companion. "I need to go to the owlery. My dad is expecting a letter from me sometime this week," she smiled. Fred nodded.

"Well, I suppose I'll see you around?" he said. Luna nodded gently to him and they both turned in their general directions, her words still whispering in his ears. _Everyone is their own person. . . I can't expect everyone to understand me. . . I don't think there's anyone at Hogwarts that I don't like._

And up the hill in the owlery, Luna Lovegood's elbow was still tingling where the red haired twin had held it. A small smile painted her pale face as she tied a letter to her owl, her fingers trembling slightly, her heart pounding in her ears.

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the wonderful reviews! Seriously, I read all the ones I got and they were so great that I came right back to my computer and began to write again. So here's chapter four. This is just a more fluffy chapter with interaction between the two. And don't worry, I'm having too much fun with this to end it too quickly. Im'a drag this one out ;). Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed and favorited, it means a lot to me! So tell me (nicely, if you don't mind) what you think. I'd love some suggestions on what to do next.**


	5. The Gilded Feast

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Luna/Fred**

_Daisy Chains_

_I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox_

_-_Woody Allen

A large hand grabbed hers as she glided down the hall, on her way to Charms. She turned and came face-to-face with a pair of green eyes. There was a twinkle in those eyes as the redhead pulled her behind a corner. His face was so close to hers; she could feel his warm breath on her face. "What are you-" she began to ask, but he pressed a finger to her lips. From his pocket, he pulled a small, blue box. He pressed it into her hand and winked at her. She looked down at the box in her hands and began to pull off the silver ribbon, but his hand covered hers. He leaned down to her ear. "Not until Christmas," he whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear. The breath left her chest as he placed a kiss lightly on her cheek and walked away, shoving his hands in his pockets. She stood, breathless, in the middle of the corridor. The late bell rang, but she stayed where she was until a teacher walked her way.

"Miss Lovegood, what are you doing?"

It was Professor McGonagall, her stern face bent into a scowl. Luna didn't answer, her breath still coming in short puffs. "Miss Lovegood?"

They were the only people in the hall, and yet Luna felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked around, only to find herself sitting in a classroom. Beside her, a fellow Ravenclaw fourth-year was looking at her questioningly. She nodded towards the front of the classroom and Luna glanced up to the front of the room. Professor McGonagall was standing at the front of the brightly lit classroom. Shafts of bright winter sunlight from the window were thrown across the floor, and every student had their textbook, a piece of parchment, and a quill out. And everyone was staring at Luna, who stared up at Professor McGonagall, who was staring unhappily back.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I don't think I heard you," the blonde said mistily, giving herself a mental pinch to make sure that she wasn't in another daydream.

"I asked you what would be an appropriate spell to transfigure an object into a dragon," McGonagall replied, her eyebrows raised. "But seeing as though you were not following my directions," she added, nodding towards Luna's desk. Luna looked down. Unlike the other students, she had nothing except for her textbook on her desk. "I will have to deduct five points from Ravenclaw."

There was a groan from all the Ravenclaws around the room, followed by sniggers and smiles from the Slytherins. Professor McGonagall then turned from the class and began writing on the blackboard. Beside her, the Ravenclaw leaned towards the blonde. "What was all that?" she whispered.

"I think my Wrackspurts are restless today," Luna whispered back with a sigh. She rested her head on her hand and stared out the window again. The grounds were still covered in snow, but it was much deeper than it had been a month ago. She watched Hagrid, the gamekeeper, pull a tree up towards the castle through snow so deep that it submersed him up to his knees. The pathway from his hut to the castle had disappeared in snow, much to the students' pleasure. Snow this deep meant that Care of Magical Creatures was cancelled until winter melted into spring. "I haven't seen that much snow since I was, like, five," the girl next to her muttered, not looking away from McGonagall. Luna sighed again and continued staring out the window.

It had only been a month ago, November 20th, that she and a certain Weasley twin had walked up the castle path together, discussing magical creatures. The bell rang, a loud booming that stirred Luna from her thoughts. Slowly, she stood, grabbing her bag and turning toward the door. "Don't forget your essays!" Professor McGonagall called after the departing class. "They're to be ready to hand in after the holidays!"

Groans emanated from several students, but nothing could shatter the erratic excitement that hung in the air. Every atom of the castle seemed to fidget and quiver in anticipation for Christmas. Luna battled her way through the crowded corridors, slipping in between enthusiastic sixth years, who were already making their way down to the Great Hall with their bags and books still in their possession. The blond squeezed through the crowds as she began to ascend the brimming staircase.

"Luna!" Padme called, emerging from the third floor corridor. Her tan cheeks were flushed and a smile stretched from ear to ear. She rushed over to Luna, pushing aside a group of first years who were standing in the middle of the stairwell. "Let's go up!" she suggested loudly over the noise of excitement. Luna smiled and nodded and the two began their ascent to the Ravenclaw tower. After pushing through seas of students, they finally arrived at the sixth floor tower door, huffing and puffing. Breathlessly, Padme knocked on the door using the magical door-knocker. It coughed and cleared it's throat. "Ahem, yes, well, what goes up a chimney down, but cannot go down a chimney up?" it asked.

"Er. . .", Padme hesitated, biting her lip.

"An umbrella," Luna answered quickly. Padme gave her a tired smile.

"Thanks," she said. Luna smiled in return as they entered the familiar Ravenclaw common room. The familiar smell of the fire greeted them and the two trekked up the spiral staircase to their dorms. Opening the double doors, Luna let out a sigh of relief. She could hear her fellow Ravenclaws entering the common room as she pushed her bag under her bed and departed from the room. Padme was waiting for her on the staircase and they walked back down to the common room.

It was noisy and filled with excitement as every Ravenclaw student swarmed through the common room and to their respective dorms. Chatter filled the room, all jumbled together to form a great buzz. Luna made her way to the door and she and Padme began their descent back to the Great Hall where the feast would shortly begin.

The same chatter from the halls now filled the Great Hall, echoing off the stone walls. It seemed louder and more anxious than it had only a half hour before. Luna only caught pieces of the conversations around her, a hectic buzz of senseless noise.

"Did you see-"

"She failed me-"

"That's so stupid-"

"You should tell-"

Under normal circumstances, Luna might have been slightly interested in some of the conversations, but tonight wasn't normal. Tonight, she was nearer to the back of the hall, despite being earlier than most. The illogicality of it would have puzzled her normally, but tonight she didn't mind. Being towards the back of the hall had its perks. Head on one hand, the fingers of the other hand tapping the dark wood of the table absentmindedly, Luna stared at the next table over, a table decked-out in crimson and gold. The Gryffindor was just as noisy as her own, but that didn't keep her from seeing. Two redheaded twins sat side-by-side facing her. She stared at them, her blue eyes studying them. Both had huge smiles on their fair faces and each were talking vigorously to their younger brother, Ron.

It was like watching a soundless movie. She couldn't hear a thing, but the scene still captivated her. The hall fell suddenly quiet and Luna glanced toward the teachers' table. Professor Dumbledore stood up, the familiar twinkle in his light eyes. He cleared his throat and raised his hands enthusiastically. "Merry early Christmas to all!" he boomed happily. "Now, tonight is the last night some of you will be seeing each other until the end of the Christmas holidays, so eat up and enjoy yourselves!"

With that, Dumbledore sat down and the empty gold platters filled themselves with food. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, everything anyone could want was piled high on the dishes. Luna helped herself daintily to a little of everything and began to eat, one small bite at a time. With her mouth full, Padme turned to Luna and asked, "You going home, Luna?"

Luna shook her head. "Not this year. Dad is setting up a surprise for the end of the year and he doesn't want me to see it yet," she said. Then, looking around, she leaned closer to Padme and muttered, "I think he's finally found a Crumple-Horned Snorkak."

Padme smiled and nodded, and the two continued to eat their fill, conversing lightly in between bites of delicious food. Finally, however, the feast had finished. The buzz of excitement was winding down, and as she looked around, Luna noticed that almost everyone was blinking tiredly. She glanced back at the Gryffindor table to see that Fred and George were as awake as ever. Dumbledore stood up again, but Luna wasn't listening this time. As she stared, Fred glanced her way and gave her a small smile. The blonde looked behind her quickly, trying to discover who he was smiling at. Seeing no one else looking at the Gryffindor table, she averted her gaze back to the older of the twins. He was chuckling softly, and as Luna peered at him, he winked at her. Luna's heart felt as if it had gotten itself caught up in her ribs. She turned her gaze to Dumbledore quickly, her heart pounding in her ears. But even so, she continued to eye him discreetly. He was no longer looking at her, but there was still a smile on his face.

". . . And now, it seems it is time to go to bed!" Dumbledore smiled at the tired students. The hall filled with polite applause and everyone began to stand. Luna, like the rest of Hogwarts, stood and stretched. Then, she followed her house out the gilded double doors of the Great Hall, sending fleeting looks back at the twins. Fred Weasley was standing with Angelina, and when he noticed her leaving, he waved. The grande doors swung shut and locked, a result of Peeves the Poltergeist, and Luna, heart still pounding, stumbled up the stairs after her fellow Ravenclaws.

**A/N: Wow. This one didn't want to come together AT ALL. It was like it was sitting here on my computer saying, "No, I don't want to be finished!" But I think it turned out okay. Not really how I envisioned it, but hey, there's always the next chapter, right? Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Seriously, your reviews kept me from scrapping this chapter. So, as always, let me know what you think (and as always, in a kind way XD [ not that I need to remind anyone; all my reviewers a AMAZING]), and chapter six is on the way!**


	6. Aching Heart

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Luna/Fred**

_Daisy Chains_

Snow swirled outside the window. The glass panes were frosted over with the opaque, white crystal. The castle and grounds were submersed in the blanket of winter and the snowflakes danced in the heavy winds, blinding the view from the seventh floor tower. Inside the crimson-draped common room, a roaring fire blazed, filling every corner with flickering warmth. A girl with bushy brown hair sat at a table in the center of the room, head bent over her books, quill moving furiously across the parchment in front of her. Soft mumbles came from her fellow Gryffindors, and she found herself relaxing into the peaceful atmosphere. A redhead sat across from her, brows furrowed in concentration. "Pst, Hermione," he whispered. She glanced at him and smiled.

"This isn't the library, Ron. You don't have to whisper," she muttered, though not much louder than her friend.

"Yeah, yeah. But what _is _the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asked, his voice still low. Hermione rolled her hazel eyes.

"That's a first year topic. What are you doing, anyway?"

It was Ron's turn to roll his eyes. "Professor Sprout's essay. Come on Hermione, do you really expect me to remember something from _first year_?"

"Yes, I do," she replied shortly, turning back to her complicated Ancient Runes homework.

"Hermione!" Ron pleaded.

"What?"

"Please!"

"Fine!" she sighed, exasperated. "Monkshood and wolfsbane are-"

_BANG_

An explosion rocked the common room, shaking dust and cobwebs from the high ceiling. Hermione squealed and jumped in surprise, and every head turned to the boys' dormitory. Smoke slithered out from underneath the door and footsteps pounded down the stairs. Fred and George Weasley burst into the common room, coughing and covered in soot. "I-it's okay!" George spluttered, wiping his face on his sleeve. "Just a mistake!"

Every pair of eyes were averted to them, staring angrily at the smoke-covered twins. Harry, Seamus, and Dean all ran down the stairs behind the twins. Chatter began filling the room. "What happened?" Hermione asked over the noise, quill shaking in her hand.

"That, Granger, is for us to know and for you to _not_ find out," Fred replied, dusting his sleeve casually. He turned to his brother. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a beautiful girlfriend to go see."

"And I have a potion's supply room to ransack," replied George. They turned to leave.

"I hope you haven't left a mess for the house-elves to clean," Hermione called after them. Fred rolled his eyes.

"Of course not, O Righteous One," he retorted as he and his brother made their way through the room to the portrait hole.

"Not funny!" the brunette muttered, but they were already out of the room.

At top of the stairs, the twins split up, George heading down to the dungeon corridor, Fred going towards the empty Muggle Studies classroom. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the ceiling as he walked. Stone staircases changed sporadically above him. He sighed contentedly. It had been nearly a week since the feast, and Christmas was fast approaching. He had no idea what to get Angelina. Ideas flew in and out of his head faster than he could hold them. _A necklace? _ No, Angelina never wore jewelry. _Tickets to the Weird Sisters concert?_ Only if he could find the money. She was so hard to buy for, and yet, she would always be hurt if he didn't get her anything. He sighed to himself and shook his head.

He counted the steps nonchalantly as he descended to the fourth floor, eyes casually scanning the paintings as he passed. He was barely paying attention as he stepped onto the fourth floor landing and opened the door. He wandered down the corridor until he reached room 4D, the Muggle Studies classroom. The redhead paused at the door, listening intently. As usual, suspicions played out in his imagination, sending angry chills down his spine. He shook those thoughts out of his mind, however, and threw open the door. The lights were on and the blackboard was wiped clean. Books were stacked neatly in their bookshelves and the entire room was coated in a fine layering of dust, neglected since the end of term.

But Fred paid no attention to these things. His entire scrutiny lay on the scene before him in the center of the classroom. Dark skin and dark hair bent backwards over a desk, giggling, with a blue-eyed blonde over her. He stared, distraught at the scene. Angelina's gaze met his and her playful smile vanished. She sat bolt upright, pushing the other boy away, eyes darting to the clock above the door.

"Checking to see what time I'd be here? Or were you indicating that you still have ten minutes with _him_ before it's my turn?" Fred asked acidly. Angelina's jaw dropped.

"How could you say such a thing?" Angelina gasped. The blonde stood awkwardly in the corner, eyeing the two nervously. Fred pointedly motioned to the blonde. Her eyes narrowed.

"Oh get over yourself, Fred! It was an accident!" she burst out, throwing her arms into the air.

"And what's your excuse this time? I know what you've been doing Angelina! I think about it all the time and pretend not to know! I notice those marks on your neck that are not mine! I know all of it Angelina! And I've pretended not to notice this entire time!" he exploded at her, clenching his fists at his sides. Angelina scowled at him.

"This was an accident Fred. I swear it," she muttered. The blonde was sitting on the desk now, head in his hands.

"And I suppose Marcus Flint was an accident too? And Michael Corner? And Anthony Goldstein?" he asked, folding his arms. Her jaw dropped again. "Yeah, I know about them," he said. She began to speak, but he interrupted her. "Never mind. I'm done."

Before she could speak, the redhead turned on his heel and left the room. The door slammed shut behind him as he marched down the corridor. He didn't know where he was going, but he wasn't going back to the common room. No need for drama. He passed a suit of armor that was giggling and fiercely said, "Shove it, Peeves."

He turned corner after corner, his anger escalating with every step. How had he thought that she was really his? How could he have turned a blind eye? He'd known all along she was doing it, but why had he allowed himself to think that she actually felt _guilty_ about it? Why had he kept thinking she had stopped? It had been almost a year since her last fling. Or had it been? How many other boys had she been with without him knowing?

His thoughts buzzed angrily through his head, an angry hornet of words. Letter after bitter letter passed in front of his mind. He kept his head down, fists clenched, until he inevitably reached a dead end. He stopped and looked around. The corridor was empty and dark. The torches weren't lit yet and the clouds covered the setting sun outside, blanketing the castle in velvety darkness. Fred leaned back against the cold, stone wall, rubbing his cheek with his hand. _Shut up_, he told his brain, which was still filled with exhausting and confusing thoughts. He took deep, calming breaths, pushing his red hair out of his face. He closed his green eyes and sank down to the floor, feet spread out into the corridor, head against the wall behind him, eyes closed.

The image of Angelina and the blonde kept replaying in his mind. He tried to shut it out, but it was futile. He wished, prayed, longed for a distraction.

_Thump_.

Fred opened his eyes. A small blonde girl was several feet away, her books on the floor. Thanking whatever divine being that had taken pity on his distressed soul, he scrambled to his feet to help Luna Lovegood. She heard him approach and turned to glance at him. "Good evening, Fred," she smiled. He reached down and picked up her book, not daring to speak for fear of how harsh he would sound. "Why is it that whenever I drop my books, a you are always there to pick them up?" she mused, more to herself than to him, but he didn't mind. He found her mindless nonsense comforting. Silently, the duo began strolling towards the grand staircase. The castle seemed frozen, as if allowing them time to themselves. Luna was muttering quietly to him. Fred couldn't distinguish the words but he knew that she wouldn't notice. She talked all the way to the staircase, all the way down the steps, and all the way to the Entrance Hall.

"Fred?" she finally asked. He looked at her. "What's wrong?"

That's when it happened. He didn't know why or how. All he knew was that his throat got very tight, and his breathing became jagged. He bit his lip, holding back whatever was threatening to explode within him. Luna reached out hesitantly and took his hand consolingly.

"It's best to talk about things," she whispered, her crystal-blue eyes meeting his emerald ones. And that was it. Something snapped within him and water began to flow from his eyes. He collapsed upon her small frame, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her wheat hair. And he didn't care. He didn't care that she was Looney Lovegood. He didn't care that every single experiment he'd done had failed. He didn't care that his mother viewed him and George as failures. He didn't care about Percy leaving the family, about all the failed tests this year, about his old owl, about the stray cat, about the broken broomstick. And he definitely didn't care about Angelina.

All that mattered was that he was there with something solid, something real, to hold on to. Luna wasn't going to judge him. She looked to him with admiration, not scrutiny. She understood him, at least partly.

Her arms wrapped around him comfortingly and she continually muttered words, but he didn't hear them. Tears just continued to flow from his eyes, unstoppable rivers of sorrow, of frustration, of shock. He sobs were muffled against her hair, and his nose was buried in her neck. They stood. Silently. Solemnly.

He didn't know how long it was before he pulled away. He turned from her and wiped furiously at his face. He could feel her fingers delicately gripping his sleeve. She was silent as well. "I won't tell anyone," she whispered, her grip tightening. "I promise."

Fred nodded. Suddenly, her hand vanished from his body. "Walking always helps me feel better," she said softly. He watched as she pressed her hand once more on his arm and then walked away. He took a deep breath. He felt light as a feather, like the entire world was lifted off his shoulders. He closed his eyes momentarily before stepping towards the huge wooden doors opposite the Great Hall. He pushed them open. Shuddering as the cold hit him, Fred stepped out into the chilled winter air.

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry x100! School started a few weeks ago and my schedule is kicking my butt! But thanks to everyone who has waited for chapter six. It's finally here, after a long time! I wasn't originally planning on this to happen in the story, but it fit well with what's coming next. What's next you ask? I'll give you a hint: Christmas!**

**So some things. The names Fred listed to Angelina are all real HP characters, though Marcus Flint was probably already graduated at that point and the other two are a year younger. I decided on them because. . .I don't know. I needed names. But yes, I do know that those names don't exactly follow the timeline of when this fic is taking place.**

**I hoped you enjoyed! As always, please share your thoughts with me! This story has gotten so much love for being relatively unknown, so thank you to everyone who has read it thus far. It really does keep me motivated. I promise to update as soon as I have time, so please, please, PLEASE be patient with me. More is coming, I promise.**


	7. Merry Christmas

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: OverFlowingBox**

**Pairing: Fred/Luna**

_Daisy Chains_

She hadn't told a soul. Not even Padme. Not even Ginny, though the Weasley girl had been slightly suspicious. The blonde rounded a corner in the dank, dungeon corridor and pushed her way through the crowds. Term hadn't started yet, but Professor Snape's test grades were posted in front of his classroom.

The winter holidays were winding to a close and most everybody was bored. Snowball fights had lost their appeal, the warm food in the Great Hall that had seemed so delicious before was now getting tiring, and the first day of term was fast approaching and everybody was in a rush to finish their holiday homework. The library was filled with students trying to cram for the classes they'd neglected for two weeks, empty classrooms were being filled with students finishing their homework. The excited buzz of the holidays was gone.

Luna slipped in and out of the small crowd, trying to glimpse her grade. She was sure she'd gotten an A, and she just couldn't wait to see it. As she neared the long piece of parchment, she noticed something she hadn't seen in several days: flaming red hair. Her heart jumped, but she avoided his gaze, feeling a blush creep to her face, before cautiously gaining the courage to peer around her curtain of golden flax hair. The Weasley twin's lips were pressed into a thin line as he slyly inched away from her. She mirrored his movements, putting as much distance between them as she could. She still refused to admit to herself how she truly felt about Fred Weasley, and every morning she would shake herself awake and spin in a circle, whispering softly,

"He's a friend. . . he's a friend."

She shuffled through the crowd of students and stood on her tiptoes to read the scroll. Her snowy-blue eyes scanned the fifth years' list, stopping at _L. Lovegood __**- **__B+._

Her heart sank a little as she pushed through the crowd and began the long walk back to Ravenclaw Tower, disappointment welling in her throat with every step. _It's not because of _him_, it's just the grade,___she thought, though she knew it was partially _his_ fault. After all, hadn't she comforted him when he'd needed someone the most? Why was he avoiding her?

Or maybe the question was why was she avoiding him? Would she really be happy keeping the distance, never really touching him again, only ever receiving a smile or a nod?

_No,___she thought, _I won't_.

But it was the only way she'd ever be able to see him. After all, she was Looney Lovegood.

Her footsteps smacked against the stone floor, echoing off the cold stone walls. Even in the dungeons, the wind outside could be heard howling. Luna ascended the steps, making her way as fast as she could to the warm embrace of warm, royal blue sheets in her warm, royal blue dormitory.

"Luna! Luna, Luna! Christmas!" a spluttering female voice shouted in her ear. The blonde felt the pressure of someone climbing onto her bed and then the violent jerks as that someone began to jump. Luna's eyes flickered open and she found herself staring at a tall, black-haired sixth year jumping up and down on her mattress. She smiled and giggled a little as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. Padme Patil slowed her excited jumping and crossed her legs as she sat still on the mattress, crossing her arms and staring at Luna with large, chocolate eyes.

"Morning," Luna mumbled tiredly. She glanced around the dormitory. The other fifth year girls were all gone; all that was left was the wrapping paper from their Christmas spoils. Her eyes wandered to the window, where snow was falling peacefully with no wind to stir it around. On the sill sat her goblet, the single daisy all alone, wilted, withered, and dead. Luna's heart ached.

If the Patil twin noticed Luna's longing as the blonde stared at the dead flower, she took no notice. She sprang to her feet, a surprised cat, and pinched Luna roughly on the arm. "Come on! Let's open presents!" she exclaimed, tugging at Luna's arm. The blonde lethargically threw the blanket off her legs and dangled her toes on the cold, wood floor. Padme picked up a box wrapped in gold and threw it at the other girl. "Open it, come on!"

She smiled as she dug her fingers under the folds of the paper and carefully peeled it back, revealing a new pair of omnioculars from her father. She squealed in delight and rushed to open the next presents.

Six boxes later, Luna flung herself on her bed with the box of Honeydukes sweets she'd received from Ginny, and sighed contentedly. Padme sat on the floor beside her, flipping through a book on mythical creatures given to her by Hermione Granger. The blonde rolled over on her stomach, popping a chocolate into her mouth and savoring the smooth flavor. "What's that?" she said around a mouth full of chocolate, pointing down at a piece of parchment sticking out from between some of the pages. Padme pulled it out, revealing a heavy envelope with the words _To Luna_ written neatly on the front. She handed it to Luna who then ripped it open. She swallowed and cleared her throat to read.

"Dear Luna," she began, "Hopefully you found this. Please check under your bed for another present. He doesn't want me to tell you who sent it to you; he wants it to be a secret. Your friend, Hermione."

The brunette stared at Luna for a moment, eyebrows raised. Then, at the same time, they both dove under the bed, Luna hanging off the side of her bed. Among the dust bunnies and broken quills was a long box wrapped in crimson and gold.

"Gryffindor colors!" Padme exclaimed, grabbing it and throwing it at Luna. "Open it and see who sent it!"

"I wonder who could have sent this," she mused quietly. Her fingers were shaking as they fumbled with the gold ribbon and crimson paper. Once she discarded the paper, she turned her attention to the box. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. _It may not be from him_, she thought to herself, but she knew she wanted it to be. _Besides, he's just a friend. . . he's a friend_.

Inside the box was a purple flower, an orchid. She picked up the exotic flower with trembling fingers. The long, curly stem fit perfectly in her hand and the vibrant purple petals shook delicately with her hand. "Oh, pretty!" Padme whispered, staring at the flower. "Who is it from?"

_Not Fred_, she thought. Her heart sank to the bottom of her chest, but she smiled dreamily anyway and replied, "It doesn't say."

Padme shrugged and stood, stretching her arms toward the ceiling. "Maybe you'll find out at the feast. Speaking of which, it's about to start! I'm going to go get ready; you should too!" she exclaimed. And without a reply from the blonde, the Patil sister dashed out of the dorm. Luna set the orchid gently on her nightstand and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Her mind felt blank. Who had sent her that flower? The lack of possibilities her brain. She stood, stretched and pulled off her pajamas. She dug around in her trunk until she found a pair of jeans and a plain blue sweater, which she hastily put on. The blonde turned back to the orchid. She bit her lip before she quickly slipped it into the drawer of her nightstand.

"Did you have a good Christmas, Luna?" Ginny Weasley asked as students filed out of the Great Hall. Luna nodded sleepily. Her stomach was full and her eyes drooped. "What did you get?" the redhead asked casually. Luna listed of the objects she had received, excluding the flower and giving a small smile to her friend. Ginny smiled widely back, but then looked at Luna with a confused expression.

"Was that all? I thought Neville sent you a flower?" she asked, then immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. Luna froze mid-step, staring at the Weasley girl in shock.

"Neville. . . Longbottom?" she asked, her voice higher than usual. Students flocked into the Entrance Hall around them and Ginny quickly shook her head.

"Forget I said anything!" she exclaimed quickly. Luna nodded and hastily said good night. She ran to her dormitory.

By the time the other girls arrived in the room, her royal blue curtains were drawn around her four-poster and her heavy sobs had subsided.

_1:35 AM_

She slipped her slippers on under her mother's old nightgown, the one that was almost five inches too long, and shuffled to the door. Carefully descending the stairs, she floated across the blue-draped common room and out onto the staircase. The castle was silent and her footfalls echoed through the cavernous staircase as she made her way down several flights of stairs, stopping at the Entrance Hall. With a dreamy sigh, she collapsed onto the floor, drawing her knees up to her face and resting her forehead on her knees. She clasped her hands around her folded legs.

"Luna?"

His all-too familiar voice floated across the hall, and his quiet footsteps melted into the silence. She closed her eyes, silently willing him away. _I don't want to talk to you_, she thought, squeezing her eyes shut, hoping with all her heart that he'd just leave her alone. She felt the pressure of his hand on hers, and she pulled it away. "Hello Neville," she sighed, looking up. She expected the dark, curly hair, the dark brown eyes, and the overly-friendly way of speaking.

"Neville?" he laughed. "Last time I checked, the ladies didn't flock to Neville."

Luna's heart leapt as she peeked up to him. Flaming red hair and blazing green eyes. Yet there was something different about him. . .

"Hello George," she sighed. The boy laughed and sat down cross-legged on the floor across from her. He rubbed his hands together nervously. Not meeting her eyes, he stared down toward the Great Hall's golden doors.

"So, my brother, huh?" he asked. Luna looked at him questioningly. George sighed and met her eyes. "It's obvious Luna. You're completely in love with him. I must admit, it was a surprise to discover that little tidbit of information, but then again, it really isn't _too_ surprising. After all," he continued, gesturing to his own body as if to say, _yes, I know I'm irresistible_. Luna tore her eyes from his and looked down at the floor. Her cheeks were burning, but, thankfully, it was dark and the other Weasley twin wouldn't be able to see her bright pink cheeks. She blinked hard, trying to compose herself. When she finally met his eyes again, her characteristic dreamy smile was pasted in place.

"I don't understand what you're talking about, George," she replied wispily. George smiled.

"You like Fred."

"Of course. He's a good friend," she said simply. Her heart was pounding in her ears. _How does he know?_ she thought frantically, but quickly corrected her question. _I don't like him. . .like this. . .that. . ._ Her mind was racing and she couldn't think clearly, but she kept her usual dreamy smile on her face.

George eyed her carefully. "Check under your pillow when you get back to bed," he said, staining up.

"Why?"

"Just do it. And Luna, it's okay to be in love," he replied.

"But I'm not in lo-" she began.

"I know, I know," he said, smiling. He waved casually before heading up the stairs, no doubt his own dormitory. Luna closed her eyes and sighed. However, when she opened them again, she found herself surrounded by royal blue curtains. She looked around, confused, before realizing it had all been a dream. She buried her face in her pillow in relief, only to discover there seemed to be lump in her usually fluffy pillow. She sat up slowly and cautiously reached under the pure white pillow. Her stomach drooped when she felt a small box sitting innocently there. Her lips formed a silent, "What?" as she pulled out the deep blue box with silver ribbon. Slowly, fingers truly shaking, she unwrapped the box. She bit her lip as she slowly pulled off the lid and peered inside. Luna gasped loudly and almost dropped the package. With careful fingers, she picked up a delicate, crystal flower. It was shaped perfectly into a daisy. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she reached inside the box again to read the note.

**A/N: Wow I am soooooooo sorry this is way overdue. I worked really hard to get all my wonderful readers an extra long chapter. It really isn't as long as I wanted but I hope this will suffice instead. But anyway, DUN DUN DUUUUUUNNNNN! Because of how much cliffhangers annoy me, I decided to give everyone reading this one as an 'I'm sorry for slacking' present.**

**On another note, I can **_**not**_** stress enough how much I appreciate and even love all the wonderful reviews and favorites. It is what made me come back from my unintentional hiatus. So THANK YOU SO MUCH! Everyone who has read this, whether you enjoyed it or not, is greatly appreciated by me. But, as usual, while I've never had a negative review on **_**this**_** story and don't expect to in the future (mostly because of the wonderful response I've received for this story), I would still like to request that negative comments be kept to yourselves. As any author knows, negativity of any kind is very discouraging.**

**Anyway, thank you for reading. As much as it pains me (because I really love writing this story), this story is nearing its final chapters T_T. But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE look for my side story I've been working on off and on for a while. I refuse to tell more than this: it will include our beloved Fred Weasley ;).**

**I promise another chapter as soon I can finish it!**


	8. The End

**Title: Daisy Chains**

**Author: SeerySly**

**Pairing: Fred/Luna**

_Daisy Chains_

Sunshine crept through the windows, blinding the boys out of their sleep. Groggily, they all pulled on their robes, still half asleep. Outside, birds twittered happily. The snow was gone from the grounds and the sun shone enthusiastically across the bright green grass. Soon, white flowers would pop up. Fred Weasley rubbed his eyes tiredly. "The next bird that chirps is getting an Incendio spell their way," his twin brother, George, murmured grumpily. Fred nudged him playfully and the two pushed their way out of the dormitory and down the stairs to the common room. The red-draped room was bustling with students rushing in and out, trying to finish neglected homework assigned at the beginning of the week, hurrying to the library to finish essays and projects, and racing down to the Great Hall to grab a bite to eat before classes start. Typical Friday morning for those in the Gryffindor House.

A lovely girl with long brown hair approached the twins. "Fred, will you go with me to the library?" she asked bodily, not even hesitating a little. George eyed his brother and cocked a crooked smile, then made his way across the crowded common room towards Katie Bell, who was sitting at a table in the corner of the room staring at a thick text book in front of her in concentration.

"Sure," Fred said with a dazzling smile. The girl, who he realized was Fay Dunbar, returned the smile enthusiastically. The redhead offered his arm and Fay took it as they sauntered out of the common room. The two wandered slowly down to the second floor where the library was located and entered through the wide double doors.

"Fred," the soft, dreamy voice of Luna Lovegood floated to his ears. The redhead glanced in the direction of the blonde and nodded curtly.

"Looney," he replied. The girl's sapphire eyes widened in shock at the redhead's forwardness. Fred and Fay continued further into the library, receding into the most secluded, quietest corners.

Luna stood, stunned at the redhead's words. _Maybe it had been George, instead_, she thought hopelessly as she watched the two progress farther into the library and disappear behind a bookshelf. But she knew it really had been Fred. She'd seen the freckle on his neck, the one identifier between the two. It had been Fred. Luna pushed her long, straggly hair away from her face and sat down at a desk in the front of the library. She pulled from her bag this month's copy of _The Quibbler_ and began to read, though her mind kept straying. She soon found herself staring out the tall library windows, watching birds twitter across the azure sky. She sighed and returned her magazine to her bag. A bell sounded throughout the school, but unlike the students surrounding her, she remained seated.

A familiar laugh rang out behind her, but she shut her eyes, trying to ignore them. She finally allowed herself to stand once she was sure they had passed. Hastily straightening her skirt, she followed a third year Slytherin girl from the library. She watched as a shock of long, red hair bobbed down the marble staircase about twenty feet ahead of her, clearly making his way down to the Entrance Hall. Suddenly, her heart gave a jolt. Friday mornings meant that she had Care of Magical Creatures. With the seventh years. Luna stopped in her tracks and received a grumble from behind her as a fellow Ravenclaw nearly ran into her. As he passed her, he muttered, "caught sight of a Nargle, Looney?"

She glared at him, feeling less like herself than ever. She felt anger boiling up in her chest. Why was everyone being so mean to her this morning? She took another step down the stairs just as the bell signaling the end of passing period rang. The few students that remained on the Grand Staircase scrambled up and down the stairs, rushing down corridors to their classrooms. Luna continued her slow walk all the way down the stairs, her mind reeling.

By the time she reached Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, class had started. Hagrid had them standing in front of a pen which contained about a dozen nifflers. The half-giant was explaining that the class was going to start reviewing for their exams. Luna fell into the group silently. Several of her fellow Ravenclaws eyed her inquisitively. She vaguely wondered if she looked angry, but decided to ignore them. Finally, Hagrid had them break off in pairs with a niftier shared between the two. As usual, everyone veered away from Luna. Even Fred, who she had hoped would come and apologize to her. And once again, Luna was left partnerless. Hagrid approached her.

"No partner, Luna?" he asked. She looked up at him.

"No, it's okay Professor. I'll work by myself," she said airily, waving a hand in the air. Hagrid looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Er, well, okay then," he mumbled and wandered off. Luna wandered over to the pen and picked up the one remaining niffler. She then made her way over to the pumpkin patch and set the fuzzy, black creature down in the dirt where it began to dig enthusiastically.

Luna sat down on the dirt and watched as the niffler dove in and out of the soil, trying to get to anything with a shine. From somewhere to her left, one of the twins started to shout. "Don't let it get away, Fred! George yelled.

There was a _thunk_ as Fred dove onto the escaped niffler, right in front of Luna. He held the creature up into the air with one hand, as if he'd won a race and was holding up his trophy. Then, slowly, he turned and looked at her. He gave her a smile which she could not return before jumping up and running back to his twin.

The final bell rang and hundreds of students jostled through the halls, pushing their way to their common rooms. Fred was halfway along the seventh floor corridor when his friend, Lee Jordan called him.

"Fred, George! Wait!"

The twins both turned to look at Lee. His dark dreadlocks were bouncing ridiculously as he jogged up to them, carelessly pushing a second year aside. He was carrying a Fanged Frisbee. "Let's go play!" he yelled as he approached them. A grin broke across the twins' faces. Completely forgetting about the bags they were lumbering around, they pushed past a group of Gryffindor girls and followed Lee back down the marble staircase. They jogged into the Entrance Hall, laughing loudly and making several Hufflepuffs jump. They pushed open the doors and sprinted through the paved courtyard and down the rickety wooden bridge, finally racing each other down the sloped lawn. Fred and George threw their bags carelessly underneath the beech tree by the lake and the three spread out. They dodged each others throws, laughing when one of them was bitten by the frisbee.

Around them, students joined in the laughter, and some other Gryffindors, such as Katie Bell, joined in the game. They made such a racket, that a half an hour later, Hagrid came trudging down from his cabin to tell them to quiet down. At this, the noise dropped slightly, but was still deafening as the shouting continued.

From the top of the lawn, Luna Lovegood sat with her back to the tallest stone in the stone circle, watching the game below. She stood up, still feeling irritable. She knew she shouldn't be so bothered by the day; after all, her father always told her that anger only caused trouble. Luna brushed off her school robe and began to wander down the slope. Maybe she could watch the game from the beech tree…

As she walked, she noticed the white flowers that spotted the vibrant green grass. _The daisies are back_, she mused as she strode along the grass. She hummed a little as she walked, thinking about making herself a chain of daisies when suddenly, she felt a tight clamping on her arm. She gasped; whatever it was hurt. _Maybe it's a gnome,_ she thought hopefully, peering down at her arm. Her vision was blurred by tears as the Fanged Frisbee tightened its hold on her. She tried to pull it off, but its teeth sunk deeper into her arm, now puncturing her skin. She yelped as the frisbee continued to tighten its grip on her arm.

"Luna!"

It was the last person she wanted to see. The red hair flopped as he sprinted toward her. But at this point, she didn't care who would help her; she wanted the stupid toy off of her. She waved her arm out in front of her, biting her lip against the pain of the teeth in her arm.

"Get it off!" she yelled, waving her arm in front of her.

"I will, hold still!" Fred replied, grabbing her arm. She watched as Fred tickled the underside of the bright red frisbee. It released its grip in silent laughter. Fred held turned and threw it back to the game. It barely missed Lee Jordan's face. He dodged it and let it fall to the ground. The large circle of people were completely silent, all watching Fred and Luna. Finally, George picked up the frisbee and shouted, "Who's next?"

The game restarted, though considerably quieter and tamer than before. Luna pulled up her sleeve to examine the wound. It wasn't too bad. It just looked as if she had fell into some brambles. There wasn't even that much blood. She wiped at it with her other sleeve then proceeded to rub it. Fred was silent.

"Thank you," she sighed, glancing up at him. He was watching her with a mixture of nervousness and contentment.

"Let's take a walk," he suggested. Luna hesitated, glancing back up to the castle where there was bound to be dinner out on the tables. After the miserable day she had had, the last thing she wanted to do was talk to the person who had caused it. But finally, after noting the pleading expression in the redhead's eyes, she nodded and turned toward the lake. They walked side-by-side in silence until they reached the edge of the lake. The crystal clear water lapped lazily against the sand underneath. Luna had the urge to pull off her shoes and stick her toes in the chilly water. Then, Fred cleared his throat and turned to her.

"I owe you an apology," he began, turning to her, though not meeting her eyes. She stared at his face and he shuffled his feet. "For this morning in the library. I spoke before thinking and Fay, well, look, it just doesn't look good if I'm friends with you."

Luna didn't reply. She studied him intently. "So you're agreeing with all the people who think I'm mad?" she said slowly, turning her eyes to the lake. The sun rested on top of the mountains, causing the surface of the lake to shimmer elegantly. Fred didn't reply for a moment.

"At first, I suppose I did. But after that night," he paused, glancing at her. She nodded, looking back up at him, remembering the night she comforted him. "After that night, I realized that you aren't mad like everyone thinks. Just… different. "

Fred sat down on the grass, resting one of his arm on one of his knees. Luna sank to the ground next to him, not tearing her eyes from him.

"But I guess I didn't really realize it until I saw the look on your face after I called you 'Looney'. You looked sad," he muttered, staring out at the lake. Then, turning his head suddenly back to her, he said, "Are you sad, Luna?"

Luna shook her head, though she knew her face gave her away. Suddenly, she felt a hand on the small of her back.

"I'm sorry," Fred whispered, meeting her eyes for the first time. Her heart started to pound as tears welled in her eyes. She turned away, wiping at her eyes hastily. "Luna?"'

"What?" she mumbled around the sleeve of her robe.

"Luna, why are you sad?"

Luna stopped moving and stared out at the lake again. Why was she sad?

"Everyone thinks I'm mad," she began slowly, her eyes focused on a point off to the distance, "but I'm really the same as everyone else. My dad always told me that I should only speak what comes to my mind at the moment. He always told me that thinking things through too much ruins the true simplicity of the situation. Nothing is ever as hard as it seems; everyone just makes it hard," she finished quietly, her voice drifting into its dreamy tone again. Fred watched her face carefully.

"I think I underestimated you, Luna. I think everyone has," he said. Luna closed her eyes. There was a sudden, slight pressure against her cheek where Fred pressed his lips to her. Her eyes flew open. _Please don't be a daydream_, she pleaded with herself as she turned her face slowly to look at the redhead next to her. He gave her his breathtaking, cocky, crooked smile before leaning in to give her the sweetest, softest kiss she had never felt. Her heart pounded in her ears. It was exactly what she had imagined a first kiss to be like. Fred pulled away as a catcall sounded from behind them. He looked behind him and threw an obscene hand gesture at his twin. Luna was too dizzy to care. It hadn't been a daydream. It really hadn't.

The sun had fallen behind the cliffs at this point. A dim darkness fell over the grounds and the group of Gryffindors began to make their way noisily to the castle. Beside her, Fred stretched and stood up. He offered his hand to Luna. She took it and he pulled her to his feet. She was about to head up to the castle when Fred caught her hand. She turned back to him and he took her other hand. He looked at her seriously.

"Luna, will you be my girlfriend?"

Luna's heart gave a jolt; her head spun and she felt weak in the knees. She couldn't breathe for elation. She beamed up at him.

"Of course, Fred," she replied in her dreamy voice. Fred gave her a toothy grin and picked her up in a bear hug. Then, setting her back down onto the ground, he took her hand and the two began to make their way up to the castle, where dinner would be awaiting them.

Saturday morning dawned bright. A Ravenclaw fifth year with straggly, waist-length, blonde hair and dreamy, blue eyes descended the last flight of stairs and turned into the Entrance Hall. She approached the gilded doors of the Great Hall and shoved them open. Her eyes scanned the Gryffindor table, but the only redheads there were sitting apart from one another. _They must not be here yet_, she thought as she walked down the length of the Ravenclaw table and took a seat across from Padma Patil. She bid the brunette 'good morning' before tucking into a bowl of cereal. With a shudder, the huge doors opened again. Laughter filled the room as a tall, red-haired Gryffindor seventh year entered the hall, a girl on each arm. Luna's heart started to pound. _Had it all been a dream, after all?_ she wondered as she grabbed a piece of toast from a pile in front of her. She tried not to glance between the heads of her fellow Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs at the next table, trying to get a good look at the twin, but she couldn't help herself.

"It's okay, Luna. He's right there," Padma muttered, nodding toward the doors. The other twin had just pushed open the doors and was beginning to make his way down the row between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. She felt her cheeks grow pink as he stopped in front of her. He leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek and muttered, "Good morning," in her ear. Luna smiled, but couldn't speak. She instead settled for giving him an awkward, one-armed hug. He laughed cheerily and pushed his way onto the bench next to her, leaning back against the table. Padma caught Luna's eye and gave her a sly thumbs-up. Luna blushed further.

"So I was thinking," Fred began calmly, staring carelessly up at the ceiling, "we should take a walk around the lake after breakfast." Luna smiled, setting her toast down on her plate and wiping her hands nervously on her jeans.

"I'd love to," she replied softly. Fred shot her another crooked smile that made her heart stop. Then, giving her another peck on the cheek, he stood. He leaned back down over the table and set his hand down right in front of her. Then, he whispered in her ear, "After that, we can maybe go to the library."

Luna's heart returned to beating, a little faster than usual.

"I don't know-," she stammered, her face hot. Fred chuckled.

"Kidding," he laughed, ruffling her hair. Then, with a final wink at her, he removed his hand and left to the Gryffindor table. Luna stared at the table in front of her. Lying there, right where his hand had been, were four, snowy-white daisies.

**A/N: It is finally done! But ugh, ugh, UGH it is so cheesy! Oh well, maybe it wasn't **_**exactly**_** how I imagined it, but… oh well, close enough! I hope you guys enjoyed it; the readership I received on this story was amazing. It was more than I could have asked for. You guys are all amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for seeing this through with me (I especially enjoyed the reviews commanding me to finish. Those were great!). So, thank you, thank you, thank you! I also apologize for the lateness of this final chapter. Whoops!**

**So, I hope I satiated the demands for the fluff that everyone seemed to want. I'm not a huge fan of fluff, but I felt that Fruna is probably the fluffiest couple ever imagined by the HP readership so…**

**Also thank you to the person who reminded me that Parvati's sister is named Padma, not Padme. Another whoops on my part. Totally brain-farted there. So thank you!**

**So it's over! I don't want to beg or be annoying, but I would just like to request that if you liked this story, to continue to support me by reading my other HP stories. Reviews are the difference between a finished story and an unfinished one in my case. Anyway, you've all been awesome for following this story through to the end. THANK YOU!**

**Sincerely,**

**SeerySly**


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